The Keeper's Daughter
by sarajingles
Summary: Alternate book 3 in which Aang chooses to let go of Katara and unlock his chakra instead, Katara is abandoned in Ba Sing Se, as well as new additions.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

The class quieted as the teacher entered the room. The tall, thin woman had long straight black hair and long white robes, and looked onto the classroom with an air of authority. Students tripped over each other in a mad rush to their desks, kneeling down in front of them. Soon, the imposing woman had 50 sets of brown, gray and copper coloured eyes on her. The eyes, belonging to the 10 year olds which she stood in front of were now waiting patiently for her to start the lesson. After a short greeting, class was ready to begin.

The lesson began normally, but eventually the sounds of the teacher's voice became incomprehensible to a certain set of ears sitting in the congregation of students on the floor. Other things were on that mind; worries, dreams, stories… a mess of incomprehensible thoughts composed of anything but the topic being covered in class. Her fingers laced absentmindedly through her long auburn hair, making loose braids.

"Who can tell me the most significant problem we face in our city?"

Hands shot up all over the room. It was an easy question.

That was when Kotone remembered; she had to be paying attention. She tentatively brought up her own hand, but it was too late.

The teacher chose a girl with long blonde hair and bangs sitting in the third row. Her copper eyes sparkled as she answered confidently, "Overpopulation."

Kotone cursed herself internally. She shouldn't be letting her mind wander in any class if she wanted to keep up the performance she needed, most of all in this class. Cultural Studies was the area she was expected to absolutely excel at, and even if she found it difficult and ultimately uninteresting, she had to put in the effort. Nothing less than the best would be expected from her.

The teacher nodded in approval at the girl. "That is correct, and an important word for all of you to know. Overpopulation is an issue that all of us face daily. All of you will contribute to resolving this problem in the jobs you will have in the future." She looked out among the crowd, scanning for one face in particular. Her eyes locked on Kotone's as she said with a slight smile, "Some of us more than others."

Kotone sat up a bit straighter and fixed her expression as the teacher went on, trying desperately to pay attention. She wished that this interested her like it did some of the other students in her class, who were excited to finally be covering this highly anticipated topic today. It would make her life so much easier.

Class went on for a little bit longer before it was interrupted by a slight rap on the door. She turned her attention to the noise as a clean-cut young man peeked his head in sheepishly, before coming all the way in. He had the look of a Cultural Affairs apprentice, with long, fitted green robes and a look of ambition in his eye.

"I apologise for the interruption." He said to the teacher. "I am looking for the Keeper's daughter."

All eyes went to Kotone as she sheepishly stood up and walked over to the man, trying to ignore the room full of eyes fixated on her. Nobody said anything as the two of them left the room together. Kotone could hear the lesson being continued as soon as the door had been shut.

Kotone did not know this man; she did not have anything to make small talk about. But she couldn't help feeling awkward when the two of them walked along the school's long, dreary hallways in silence. She figured that if she were her sister, the two of them would be best friends instantly. Aya had a rare charm that allowed her to make friends with anyone at a moment's notice.

Finally Kotone thought of something that needed to be addressed; it was convenient, however, that it also served to break this deafeningly loud silence.

"Is everything alright?" she asked the young man. "I'm not usually taken out of school during the day."

The man chose not to look down at her, keeping up his professional persona. He answered, with purpose, "Your Father has something important to discuss with you, and needed to see you right away. I don't know the details."

"Will Aya be there?" Kotone asked. She always looked forward to opportunities to see her younger sister.

"Yes, someone else has been sent to retrieve her from her bending lesson."

Kotone smiled to herself. Being taken out of class and getting her family. It was a good day.

After a few minutes the two of them passed the administrative wing of the school and reached the front entrance. There was a man watching the door, but he opened the door for them without question when he saw Kotone. Not many students got to leave the school as often as she did, so the doormen were quite familiar with her face. The door unlocked with a slight click, and suddenly it felt like Kotone had been transported into another world. The sun was bright that day, apparently, so she had to shield her eyes as they adjusted. The cool wind blew on her face and carried her uniform's white cotton fabric. She took a deep breath of the good, fresh air and felt invigorated.

The pair walked down the narrow dirt road, headed towards the large, red stone pyramid that dominated the cityscape. It was by far the prettiest thing in the city; the rest of Kotone's vision was assaulted with tall, drab, windowless stone buildings and empty dirt roads. The sun shone brightly in the horizon, however, and the sky was a beautiful blue colour, with only a few clouds that day. Kotone noted, as she always did, how badly the city clashed with its beautiful surroundings. It was not an uncommon opinion; the same complaint sat in the heads of every other resident of the cramped island. Anyone old enough to remember a time when it was different would ache with nostalgia for how things used to be.

Soon the roads began to fill with people. As they got closer to the centre pyramid, busy looking adults began crowding the streets, going about their business. At first it was only a few at a time, but the crowds only increased as they came closer to the pyramid. Men and women of all respects were busy with something. Kotone noted the Regional Affairs workers with their practical blue worksuits, the Foreign Affairs workers in their stately looking red armoured uniforms, and the Cultural Affairs workers who looked much like her companion did. Every once in a while she would catch sight of a Spiritual Affairs worker in the flowing yellow robes, but they were few and far between in the sea of blue, red and green. As they got close to the front entrance of the massive red building, the young man grabbed her shoulder and guided her through the thickening crowd, eliminating the risk of becoming separated. He then forced the pair of them through the giant open door of the pyramid. The entrance area inside was even worse. The room, built with red sandstone and highlighted with gold accents, was probably very beautiful, but Kotone had never seen it when it wasn't stuffed to the brim with people. The man kept a firm grip on her as they worked their way through the crowds and towards the Cultural Affairs quadrant. Eventually the crowd began to die down as they broke away from the main area of the pyramid. Now, as they walked down the narrow hallway, they passed only the odd Cultural Affairs worker, who were busily going in and out of the many doors on either side of the hall. Kotone's companion released his grip on her shoulder and the two of them resumed walking side by side in silence.

At the end of the hallway, the two of them came to a door. The young man opened it and allowed Kotone to walk through first. She was then greeted by a familiar room; an orderly office occupied by two young women in green, working at desks. One of them, the older of the two, had long, straight black hair, sharp features and spectacles, and appeared to be in her thirties. The other, only a few years younger, had a round face and bright blue eyes that always sparkled. They smiled at Kotone as she walked in; she was known very well around here. Kotone returned the smile. She knew them both well.

"The Keeper's daughter has arrived," Kotone's companion spoke with a sigh, obviously relieved at having gotten her there in one piece through the afternoon rush.

"As it appears." The older of the two answered with only a touch of sarcasm. "Thank you, Jampo. You are dismissed." He did a slight bow and exited the room. The woman then turned to Kotone. "Your father and sister are waiting for you. You may go in." Kotone did a small bow of her own and opened the door into her father's office; the office of the Keeper of Cultural Affairs.

The scene she was greeted with made Kotone smile. Aya was sitting on the Keeper's lap. The golden-haired six-year-old appeared to be talking to her father about something… Kotone couldn't make out what it was, her sister's words being slurred by excitement. Kotone snuck in, and allowed the door to close with a soft _click _behind her. The attention of her family turned towards her with the noise.

Aya immediately jumped off her father's lap, her copper eyes shimmering in excitement. "Kotone!" she squealed, running over to her sister and jumping into her arms in a hug. Kotone hugged back. Their father smiled at the scene.

"You've arrived," her father stated simply, with a smile Kotone's father was a kind looking man. His golden blond hair, touched by only the slightest bit of grey, was slicked back. He had dark circles under his copper eyes, and he had more wrinkles on his face than a man his age should. Kotone often worried that he worked too hard. His job wasn't an easy one.

She managed to get out of Aya's grasp and went over to go give her father a hug. "Father." She greeted as they pulled away from each other. Her tone, as formal as it tried to be, was betrayed by the elated expression on her face. It was a long-awaited reuinion.

"It's been too long." He replied. His daughters nodded.

Suddenly, curiosity took over and Kotone asked what she had been wondering since she had been taken out of class.

"Father, why have you sent for us today?" she asked. "It's not usual for you to take us out of school during the day." Aya nodded, and leant onto her father's lap, eyes looking up at his own, sparkling with curiosity.

The Keeper was suddenly brought out of the happy family reunion. His eyes flashed with anxiety for just a moment, but he kept his composure, addressing his daughters calmly.

"What I have to tell you is much more important than classes." He answered.

"Even bending lessons?" Aya asked with an innocently.

"Even bending lessons." At this, Kotone looked at her father with concern in her eyes. This had never happened before. What could have been the problem?

Her father sighed, noticing his older daughter's expression. He began his much needed explanation.

"What do the both of you know about the situation in Ba Sing Se at the moment?"

Aya blinked, the words foreign to her. She looked to her big sister for help.

Kotone was unsure where her father was going with this. "Ba Sing Se is one of the last Earth Kingdom strongholds against the Fire Nation. It houses many refugees from all over the war-torn nation." She answered, mimicking her Foreign Affairs teacher's lessons verbatim.

The Keeper nodded, smiling slightly at the clear parroting. "Precisely." He replied. "The reason I have brought you both here is because of the most recent predictions that come from the desk of the Guardian." Kotone was confused. She knew that the department of Foreign Affairs were responsible for making predictions on the state of the outside world, but she could not think of how these predictions would affect her and her sister.

He continued. "The department of Foreign Affairs believes that within a few months, Omashu will fall to the Fire Nation, and Ba Sing Se will become the last Earth Kingdom stronghold. They also believe that by the end of the year, the same will happen to Ba Sing Se, meaning the Earth Kingdom will dissolve, and the Fire Nation will have taken it over completely."

Kotone was shocked. One of the four nations, just… ceasing to exist? It didn't seem right to her.

"Why, Papa?" Aya asked with a serious expression on her face. "Why is the Earth Kingdom going to be taken over?" Aya could be very perceptive when it was required of her. She also had a great fascination for the 4 Nations, especially the Earth Kingdom.

"A great comet will come at the end of the summer." The Keeper replied soberly. "It will enhance the firebenders' powers greatly, and it is believed that they will use this advantage to take out the Earth Kingdom once and for all."

Kotone's face hardened. "Sozin's Comet." She stated, remembering the name from her lessons.

The Keeper nodded. "Yes. The same comet that Firelord Sozin used to destroy the Air Nation a hundred years ago."

This was definitely shocking news. A Nation that had already destroyed a whole race of people was now aiming to take over another. But Kotone was still confused. What did this have to do with her and Aya?

"Father," she said, being frank, "what does this have to do with Aya and I?"

Her father nodded. This was the transition he needed to tell them why he had really brought them here.

"It is true that this will not affect our own city, but it does raise a problem." He answered. "It is customary for those wishing to enter the field of Cultural Affairs to tour the nations of the world, particularly those who expect to become the next Keeper." He looked at Kotone as he said this. "This tour includes Ba Sing Se, as it is an excellent example of many parts of Earth Kingdom culture."

Kotone was finally starting to realise where he was going with this. "If Ba Sing Se falls, then it will be impossible to experience the city as it is right now. What's more, the unrest in the city following the fall would most likely make it unsafe." He continued. "Therefore, if the two of you are ever to experience the city, it cannot wait until you are older. You must go now."

Kotone was shocked. Usually citizens were not allowed to see the rest of the world until they were 16 and had the proper training. Her father wanted to send two children?

Aya was shocked as well. "You mean we're leaving Su Ren?" she asked with a tone serious beyond her years. Kotone never liked seeing Aya when she was serious. The girl was always so bubbly; it was hard seeing her have to act older than she was. But sometimes Kotone felt that Aya was more mature than she herself was.

Her father nodded, his expression blank. "Yes. You will be leaving tomorrow at dawn."

"Tomorrow?!" Kotone blurted out, outraged. She could not believe this was happening. Not even an hour ago she was sitting in a classroom like everyone else her age. And now she had to leave Su Ren?

Her father looked upset at her distress, but kept his cool regardless. "Yes."

Kotone calmed down a bit at her father's composure, or at least did her best to hide her emotions. "Will we be going alone?"

"You will have an escort to take you Ba Sing Se, but when you arrive you be settled into a boarding school and left on your own."

"A boarding school?" Aya asked. Kotone could not tell what emotions Aya was feeling at the moment. Her face was the picture of calm and collected.

"Yes. There is a school in the lower ring that houses children of soldiers currently fighting in the war, and some orphans as well. You will be staying there, posing as Earth Kingdom children whose parents were lost to the war." Their father answered.

"The lower ring?" Kotone asked. She knew from her studies that the lower ring held the poorest residents of Ba Sing Se. Surely not the place for two children to be dropped off and left to their own device.

Her father nodded. "The best way to understand the politics of a city is from the bottom. You will have plenty of opportunities to explore and learn how the city works with as little censoring as possible." At seeing Kotone's distress, he continued, "One of the teachers at this particular school has been stationed there by Foreign Affairs, one of many meant to keep an eye on the goings-on in the city. She will be there to help you and be sure you are kept safe."

This made Kotone feel a lot better. At least they wouldn't be completely alone.

"Will we be able to bend?" Aya asked, a question that Kotone had not even considered until now.

Their father's expression hardened. "No." he said sternly. "Absolutely never are you permitted to bend while outside of the city limits. This particular school is for non-benders, so you will not feel out of place."

"Won't our training suffer?" Kotone asked. She was behind in her bending already, she could not afford the time spent not practicing.

"Yes," her father answered, "but it can be made up when you return. You will only be gone for 6 months."

6 months. That was a lifetime to be away from a place that Kotone had never even seen outside of.

"I am also required to remind you that you are required to keep the sacred secret while you are gone. You are never to speak of Su Ren."

"Yes, we know that." Kotone answered. As if it hadn't been drilled into their heads their entire lives.

The Keeper sighed deeply, scanning his daughters up and down. "The two of you will be permitted to stay here for the night until your departure."

They both nodded bravely.

"I'll miss you, Papa." Aya said with tears in her eyes, the first bit of emotion she had shown in the entire encounter. The Keeper's expression softened immediately, as tears began to form in his own. He brought his daughters into a hug.

"I'll miss you as well."

As they pulled away from each other, he turned to his oldest daughter.

"I trust you to keep you and your sister safe. I trust you, Kotone."

Kotone stood up straight and nodded seriously. The fate of the city on her shoulders since birth, she had been expected to grow up quickly. She was mature enough now to handle anything. At least… she thought so.

"I won't let you down."


	2. Katara I

**1 – Katara I**

Two sets of footsteps echoed hollowly against thick steel walls. A hulking Fire Nation guard and a Water Tribe teenager walked down a staircase that seemed to last forever. The soft glow from the lantern the guard carried was their only shield against the darkness. The girl hung her head indignantly, offering no resistance to being pushed along by her brutish companion.

After weeks of rebellion and countless punishments from her captors, she had resigned herself to passivity.

Thoughts of escape were replaced with memories of her brother and friends, and the feelings that she felt when they were together. The day that they had said goodbye had played through her head a million times. Wrapped in a group hug, the group had been so sure that they would see each other in one short week. She and Sokka hadn't been apart since their Dad had taken Sokka on a hunting trip without her when they were kids, and she had been at Aang's side since they had met, but now they were separating; Sokka to go meet with their Dad in Chameleon Bay, and Aang to go meet with a spiritual guru to master the Avatar state. Sokka had noticed the unsure look on her face, and given her a reassuring squeeze, reassuring her that "It's only a week, and after this, it's smooth sailing. Forever." Sitting on top of Appa, he had looked down at her with a smile. "Take care of yourself, sis. I'll say hi to Dad for you."

That had been weeks ago.

The time since then had been lonely. She had spent several weeks (she wasn't sure exactly how many, she had lost count after the first two) in the brig of Azula's ship, on course to the Fire Nation capital to go before the Fire Lord himself. She wasn't alone; she had seen Prince Zuko and his Uncle being led into the ship with her, also in chains. She assumed that they had been kept in the neighbouring cells, but the walls were too thick to hear through. Katara's treatment had been harsh at first, but it wasn't long until she was just left alone. She'd been asked a million times where the Avatar was, but she couldn't have told them even if she wanted to. Her captors had figured out pretty quickly that she wasn't very useful in terms of information. The new plan was to keep the Water Tribe girl close to the palace, so she could be used to lure Aang in directly. Katara had nightmares every night of Aang coming to save her, and then being captured himself. The thought of the last hope for the world being killed because she was stupid enough to get captured drove her crazy. But as the time stretched on, she couldn't help but wish for some form of rescue. She thought that somehow, things would work out okay, and she and her friends would get away safely and be together again. Aang would take down the Fire Lord, and things would go back to how they were.

However, as Katara was led down the dark metal staircase into the hidden prison under the palace, her arms bound behind her and a prison guard half a step behind her, she began to let go of that optimism.

Her friends hadn't come, and she couldn't even escape herself. Waterbending was impossible with her arms bound up behind her back like they were, and she hadn't even seen more than a cup's worth of water since the catacombs, so even being able to bend would do her no good. She hadn't even been able to heal her burns the Fire Princess had given her trying to extract information. They were healing well, all things considered, but they would leave scars that would last forever.

Katara could feel her last sliver of hope falling away from her as they reached the door of what would be her cell; solid metal, two inches thick, with a small opening at the bottom for food trays to go under and bars covering the small opening up at eye level. The entrance to the one-cell prison was kept secret; even if her friends made it to the capital, they would have a hard time finding her. The guard hung the lantern on the wall and took out his dagger, cutting the rope binding her arms together. Katara felt the blood painfully rushing back into the numb limbs.

The guard opened the door and pushed her inside, sending her to her knees. Unable to stop herself with her lifeless arms, she smacked her face painfully on the cool metal floor. She picked herself up just in time to see the door close with a heavy, hollow sound, and hear it locking with a loud _click, _Katara rubbed her cheek as she took in the silence and let her eyes adjust to the dim light. After a few seconds she brought her knees to her chest, laid down her head, and began to cry.

She let out sobs that were weeks overdue. There was no more denial, no more misguided optimism. For the first the first time in her life, Katara gave up. Gave up hope, gave up trying to convince herself that everything would somehow turn out okay. She was _alone_.

Katara wasn't sure how long she spent crying. All of the fear, insecurity and anger that she had left to fester in an attempt to be strong over the past few weeks came pouring out in the form of the tiny liquid droplets. But she had to run out of tears eventually. When she finally opened her eyes and looked at the floor, she realised what she had been making.

Water. Why hadn't she thought of this before?

Without even a second thought, Katara bent up the water into a small ball about the size of a marble. It wasn't much, but it would be enough. She brought it up to the worst burn, on her shoulder, and began to heal it. She listened to the soft noise of the healing water as she felt its instant relief.

In the silence that came while she brought the water to the second patch of skin, Katara became aware of a small noise coming from the corner of the room. She lifted her head curiously, looking for a source.

What she found was a small, slim figure standing against the wall, posed like an animal that had been cornered by a predator.

_Breatss. _The noise was the sound of breathing.

Katara wasn't alone in here.

She stared at the figure. The corner of the room was dark, but Katara couldn't help that it looked a lot like…

"Aang?!"

Katara dropped the water she was bending as she stood up out of shock. Her stomach dropped. Aang couldn't have gotten captured, could he?

The small figure moved out of the shadow sheepishly to reveal a small girl with waist-length hair.

"No… I'm sorry," the girl answered meekly.

Relief came to Katara instantly. It wasn't Aang. He was safe. But beyond that she wasn't sure what to feel. Who was this girl? On second look, she looked a bit younger than Aang, a bit shorter, but her slim body looked very similar. Her eyes were big like his too, although the colour was hard to make out in the dark. Her hair hung straight down her back, and she wore the faded red prison garb that Katara wore herself, but it hung loosely on her petite figure.

"You're… a prisoner here?"

"Yes."

The voice that came from the small girl surprised her. It was young and feminine, but had confidence. Katara felt very confused. What could the Fire Nation want with a child?

No fear came from the small voice, only curiosity, as it asked "Who are you?"

The girl looked Katara right in the eyes with the slightest bit of suspicion as she waited for an answer.

"My name is Katara."

The two stared at each other for a few moments before Katara sat down and patted the floor in front of her, inviting the girl to do the same. The girl gave her a look of confusion, and then relief, as she sat down cross-legged in front of the older girl.

"Mine is Kotone."

In the dim light, Katara took a good look at the child in front of her. Large, round eyes dominated the small, delicate features. Her long, straight hair, tucked behind her ears, was surprisingly well kept, considering her circumstances. Despite her confidence, she looked tired, ragged.

Kotone took a breath as she herself took in Katara's face.

"You're Water Tribe." She said. A statement.

"…Yes. How did you know that?" It wasn't often that people questioned her race, even during her travels. She had spent the entire spring in the Earth Kingdom and she could count the number of times someone asked her about it on one hand. Katara was surprised by the girl's judgement.

"The way you sit. And your eyes… they're blue." Perceptive eyes looked Katara up and down one more time before they arrived at the question,

"So… who's Aang?"

Katara felt a pang of pain as she heard the name spoken aloud. Wanting to diffuse the topic quickly, she looked at the floor as she answered apologetically,

"Oh… I'm so sorry about that. It's dark in here and..."

Kotone cut her off before she could finish. She was obviously anxious for an answer, unconcerned with the mistake.

"I don't mind about that. Who is he? A friend?"

Katara brought her eyes up to the girl sitting in front of her again. The eyes in staring back at her were sympathetic. It had been so long since she had talked to someone she could trust… The two held a look for a brief moment before Katara gave in and answered,

"Yes. He's… the Avatar too though. I'm not sure where he is, and the last place I want to find him is a Fire Nation prison cell." She finished off her sentence with a touch of nervous laughter.

"You're friends with the Avatar?" There was no awe or surprise present in the question, only curiosity. Kotone cocked her head slightly as she waited for an answer.

"Well…" she started, undecided on what answer to give, "Yes. We kind of have a little team… there's four of us. I was the only one in Ba Sing Se when it fell, helping the Earth King with…planning stuff." She decided not to mention the invasion plans. "Azula captured me. And I was brought here." Katara felt no need to go into a lengthy backstory just yet. It's not like it wouldn't come up again later. Judging by the circumstances, they would have plenty of time together.

Kotone showed a shocking lack of surprise at the story, only noddeding in satisfaction, face straight.

Katara decided that now it was time to get some information out of her little companion. It was understandable why Katara herself was there, especially given the story she had just shared, but it was still not clear what the Fire Lord had to gain by imprisoning this tiny little girl in the most secure prison in the Fire Nation.

"So…" Katara began delicately, "How long have you been here?"

Kotone blinked and her face hardened a bit. "I'm not completely sure. There's no way to tell night from day here." She looked towards to door with contempt. "Maybe about a week? Just going by the meals they bring." She looked back at Katara with piercing eyes. "But that's not really what you want to know."

"No." Katara confirmed evenly, trying to figure out the best way to verbalise the loaded question. "I want to know why you're here. You hardly seem like prisoner material."

"Neither do you," Kotone continued staring, while Katara ignored the remark. Finally, she broke the glance and sighed.

"I was in Ba Sing Se too. I lived in a boarding school. A couple days after the fall, Dai Li agents came to my school and took me away." She brought her eyes up to meet Katara's again. There was pain in them this time.

"A… boarding school?" Katara stated, still confused. She wasn't satisfied with the answer, and it showed. Her face twisted into suspicion.

"Look," Kotone said, obviously exhausted with the question. "I don't really know why I'm here, but I really just want to concentrate on getting out instead of wondering"

Katara nodded. It was an answer she could accept for now, and she didn't want to push, at least not yet. But she wasn't done with questions.

"How old are you?"

"I'm eleven."

So Katara was right, she was younger than Aang, but just barely. She found herself staring at the young girl across from her again. She was brave, no doubt, but the bags under her eyes and her worried expression when the conversation died down gave away her true feelings. She was just a little girl, after all. She almost certainly missed her family, her school, her life before the fall of Ba Sing Se. She had the right to not have to be afraid, to feel safe. Katara didn't know why she was here, and most likely Kotone didn't either, but one thing was for sure: she didn't deserve it.

"Kotone," Katara started, her voice gentle and comforting, "I'm sorry you have to be here. You don't deserve this."

The young girl seemed unaffected by Katara's comfort. "What about you?" she asked. "You think you deserve this any more than I do?"

Katara couldn't help but think how practical and selfless the girl was. Not once had she taken the opportunity to cry, or to complain, or even to express hatred at the Fire Nation. She was stronger than Katara, that was for sure.

"At least I'm not eleven. I've already had my childhood. You're just a kid."

"Hasn't anyone told you that you're still a kid too?"

Katara swallowed, thinking of the time that Aang had asked her the very same thing, just after they had met. "Yes."

"Then stop acting like this war is your fault. I bet your life has been torn apart as much as mine."

"I know that it isn't my fault… I just… hate seeing people be hurt by it. It's still so far from being over, and it's my job to make sure Aang is ready when it's time to end it. And I can't even be with him. I don't even know if he's okay."

Kotone's face softened and became sympathetic. She reached and gently put her hand on Katara's knee.

"The world doesn't depend on you and your friends saving it. It will work out, no matter which side comes out on top. But for now, we wait." She pulled back her hand as she finished.

Katara was so surprised she couldn't even speak. She stood up suddenly, fists clenched and an absolutely livid expression on her face.

"You're from the _Earth Kingdom _and you're saying that it doesn't matter who wins this war?! You want the _Fire Nation, _who took your city, your kingdom, and your freedom, to rule the world?"

Kotone stayed sitting, completely calm, but spoke with a slightly irritated voice, raising it slightly to match Katara's rage.

"I'm not saying that I _want _them to win, I'm just saying that life will go on, no matter who's in charge. Thing sort themselves out naturally."

"What about families that have been torn apart? What about just regular people whose lives are ruined forever? I lost my _mother _to the Fire Nation, and my Dad has been fighting for years! And you! You have _no _idea what they're planning on doing to you. We could both die here, and you're _okay _with this?!"

Katara watched Kotone sit calmly and sigh deeply. The only noise in the room was the sound of Katara's enraged breathing.

"The funny thing about the world," Kotone said, "Is that it keeps on going without me."

Katara just could not comprehend how someone who had lived their entire life in war could be so nonchalant about it. She had _never _talked to anyone who was less than passionate about the Fire Nation being taken down. How could such a little girl be so enraging?

Katara did not want to hear anything else from her little companion, but the girl kept talking, still calm as ever.

"Katara, I know you've been hurt, and I'm sorry about your mother. But you need to think about this more objectively. I'm sure the Avatar has a great shot at taking down the Fire Lord, but even if he doesn't, peace will come again eventually."

Katara stared at the girl angrily. Everything that she had ever known depended on the outcome of this war. The South Pole, her people and countless innocents would be gone if they failed. And her friends… she would lose everything. And Kotone didn't even care. In the darkest time in her life, when Katara wasn't even sure whether the things and people she loved were safe, the last thing Katara needed was to be "objective."

Katara crossed her arms and turned away from where her cellmate was sitting. She couldn't listen to this anymore. "I'm finished talking to you," she said coldly. "Please… just leave me alone. You don't understand _anything."_


	3. Aang I

**2 – Aang I**

Aang leaned on the edge of the battleship, looking out. Waves rolled calmly on the open ocean. The sun was shining, and there were only a couple of fluffy, white clouds in the bright blue sky. It was a beautiful afternoon.

Beautiful weather meant little to Aang. The sunny sky was so opposite to what he was feeling inside that it somehow made him feel even worse, and the waves only reminded him of Katara. Ever since they had fled Ba Sing Se, nothing had been able to take his mind off of her.

Eventually, the sight of the waves was too much to bear. Aang turned around and slid his back down the rail, bringing his knees to his chest and resting his chin on them. _How could I just let her go like that? _Aang thought. He was so _angry _with himself he could barely stand it. Was mastering the Avatar state really worth it if he wasn't even brave enough to stay and fight? To protect the people he loved?

At first he had been so sure that when the Day of Black Sun came, he would take down the Fire Lord and this would all be worth it. But the more Aang thought about, the more he regretted leaving Katara behind. Who knows where she was, or what was happening to her? Even if they managed to win the war, there was no guarantee that Katara would be okay, or if she would be willing to forgive them. If it were up to Aang, he would be out using all his energy to look for her, but after his sudden disappearance from Ba Sing Se, the Fire Nation had been scouring the world looking for him. Sokka had decided that it would be safest to stay under cover on their commandeered ship until the time came. Aang had begrudgingly agreed, but it wasn't an idea he was enthused about.

He hated all this waiting around.

Aang got up and headed to the stern of the deck to see what the others were up to. He had slept late and hadn't seen Sokka and Toph all day. The three had been distant during their time on the ship; none of them really felt like talking, and Aang suspected that Sokka was too angry to even want to talk to him anymore. But these were his friends, and they had to stick together. Besides, Aang needed something else to focus on.

Aang came to the front of the ship to find a bustle of activity. Lots of the Water Tribe warriors were standing around, talking. Some had bowls in their hands, a late lunch. Aang's eyes scoured the deck until they found Sokka, sitting cross-legged on a crate and staring at a map, scratching his chin. Toph was right beside him, leaning on her hands and looking deep in thought. Aang went over to join them.

Toph sat up as he came closer. "Hey, Aang." She said, her voice lacking energy.

"Hi," Aang said, peeking over at the map Sokka continued to stare at. It was a map of the Fire Nation, with the locations of prisons noted. Hakoda had helped Sokka with this, providing him with all the information he could. Both of them spent long hours together trying to think of places that Katara could be. These days, Sokka always seemed to be either staring at a map, talking to the other soldiers for ideas, or spending days in his cabin just thinking… anything that might give him a better idea of where he could find his sister. Ever since he found out that she had been left behind, it had become his existence.

Sokka had reacted when he and Toph had told him still stung. He was absolutely livid, intent on going back to get her. He wouldn't talk to either of them for several days. It wasn't until Hakoda had convinced him to understand the position that they had been in that Sokka had apologized. Hakoda had been crushed, to say the least, when they had told him what happened to his daughter, but he was able to be level-headed and understanding. Aang didn't feel like he deserved apologies or understanding, but it was nice to have Sokka talking again, although it still killed him inside every time he saw him obsessing over a map or staring out at the ocean late at night.

Sokka suddenly rolled up the map that he was looking and tucked it away. He sighed loudly and rested his cheeks in his hands. "Still 2 weeks until we even get to the Fire Nation. I wish there was a way to get there faster."

"We could always take Appa." Aang was eager to provide solutions, and even more eager to actually _do _something. They were getting nothing done by just sitting around on this floating hunk of metal.

Sokka blew up at the suggestion. "And give away our position?! We've already been over this, Aang! We need to keep you hidden." He settled down and brought his gaze down. "It's the only chance we've got…"

"Okay, okay. It was only a suggestion." Aang put up his hands defensively, backing away slightly. The three sat in awkward silence for a few seconds before Sokka unrolled his map again.

"I'm going to go down below deck," Aang told them. "I'll see you guys later." Neither of them said anything as he walked away.

Aang went down under the ship and through the metal hallways into the room that he had been sleeping in, shutting the door behind him. The sconces gave the room an eerie red glow, and it was strange sleeping in a room decorated with Fire Nation insignia tapestries, but it was good to have space where he could be alone and think. As usual, he thought of the day that he and Sokka had set off on Appa. He could still feel the warm peck that Katara had planted on his cheek as a goodbye… he had never even told her how he really felt. Now he didn't know if he would ever get the chance.

Loud crashes and huge splashes woke Aang up several hours later. He hadn't even noticed that he had fallen asleep, but he was up in an instant, racing up onto the deck. He reached the door and found Sokka standing next to it, covering his ears as a huge fireball just barely missed the edge of the ship. Aang looked outside and saw Toph shooting giant rock discs out over the ocean.

"What's going on?!" Aang shouted at Sokka, above the noise of the explosions. The ship rocked as another fireball hit the side of the ship. Sokka steadied himself before answering.

"We were busted by another ship. They're trying to sink us!"

Aang poked his head out of the door, alarmed. He saw the trebuchet on the other ship preparing another fireball.

"Do you need me to help?!" Aang shouted at Sokka, concerned for the safety of the ship.

"No! No." Sokka said, calmer the second time, pulling Aang back behind the door. "We can handle this. They can't know you're here."

"They don't have to know I'm the Avatar… I could help Toph with the earthbending or something…" Aang said, desperate to help.

"No." Sokka said sternly. "You're staying right here."

Aang could hear Hakoda shouting over the noise. "We need to get some distance between us!"

Suddenly the entire ship rocked violently. In an instant Toph was running past them and ripping down the stairs. Aang and Sokka both turned and watched her go around the corner. Sokka cupped his hands and called after her.

"Toph, is everything okay?!"

No answer returned. The loud sound of bending metal came a few seconds later. Toph came back in a slower run. As she turned the corner and came into view of the pair she gave Sokka an answer.

"Those knuckleheads sent a harpoon through the ship." She said, exasperated. She stopped next to Sokka and Aang to catch her breath. "I patched it up as best I could, but we could really use some distance. I don't know how much longer we can…"

The whistling noises that came from the giant fireballs being hurled through the air was interrupted by a large explosion. This one sounded much closer than all the rest. The floor beneath them began to sway and the air filled with a thick black smoke. Aang shielded his face with his arms, coughing from the fumes.

But then the air filled with something even more terrible. A deep yell of a grown man echoed through the smoky air and rang through their eardrums.

Sokka's eyes widened as he realised who the voice belonged to.

"Dad!" the teenager shouted as he ran out onto the smoke-filled deck. Aang could barely make out the figure of the fallen Water Tribe leader on the ground.

It didn't take Aang long to react. Seeing an opportunity in the low-visibility of the deck, he ran out and headed towards the side that faced their attackers. A large wave grew at the command of Aang's waterbending. All his energy went into growing the large body of water and pushing the ships apart.

The gap that Aang's wave provided was enough to give them a head start as a chase began. The Fire Nation ship continued to shoot fire balls at them, occasionally hitting the deck and sending another cloud of black smoke across Aang's sight. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Sokka supporting Hakoda by the shoulders and leading him to the door to go below deck. Aang didn't even have time to register this as a fireball hit the main engine, setting it aflame. One water whip later, the fire was out, but there was no telling how long this would continue.

"How're we doing?" Toph shouted above the noise. Aang looked out at the ship that was quickly gaining.

"There's no way we can outrun these guys," Aang said with a determined face. He opened is glider. "We're going to have to fight them."

Aang opened his glider and ignored Toph's objection from behind him. He was just ready to take off when an inhumanly loud screech froze him in place.

A giant green and purple serpent emerged straight up from the water and let out an angry cry. A large wave crashed against the ship and sprinkled Aang's face with the salty ocean water. Aang and everyone else on board could only look up at it in awe. How much worse could this possibly get?

It looked like the serpent was about to attack their ship when suddenly a rogue fireball came and hit it in the side of the head, turning its attention onto their enemy. The serpent submerged and came back up on the side of the other ship, then began to wind its body around the steel frame. It brought its head up right in front of the stern and let out another angry cry. The ship came to a halt, giving the perfect opportunity for their own vessel to go full speed ahead and escape. Aang let out a breath of relief as he watched their pursuer being taken down by the giant serpent.

As the relief of being safe took Aang, so did the weight of what had just happened. A sickening feeling came over him as he remembered Hakoda. He hadn't seen where or how badly he had been hurt… but it couldn't have been good. Aang raced down below deck to see.

He raced down below deck and through the long metal hallway. He only slowed when he approached the cracked door at the very end. Bato was just coming out, wearing a solemn face. Aang stopped. When their eyes met, Bato simply shook his head and kept walking.

Aang took a deep breath and walked up to the door, poking his head around the corner. The ship`s medic was working on Hakoda from one side of the sleeping mat, who appeared to have been hit quite badly in the chest. It looked badly burned and there were most likely broken ribs from the impact. Sokka was seated on the other side, his knees brought up to his chest and his eyes focused bitterly on his wounded father.

Aang didn`t need to see any more. He went back to his room and stayed there for the rest of the afternoon, lying on his side on his sleeping mat.

Hakoda had been hurt. He had been hurt protecting Aang, trying to fix HIS problem and HIS mistakes. How many others had been hurt in this war, that he had spent frozen in an iceberg? And how many more would be while he worked towards bringing a way past overdue end to this war?

Again, Aang was alone for a long time with his self-loathing thoughts. He could feel the boat slow down and begin docking, but he made no effort to move.

Eventually he was interrupted by Toph.

"Hey Aang," she said, opening the door much more timidly than she would have a couple of weeks ago. "I was thinking we could go find some dinner in town. Do you want to come?"

Aang balked at the thought of leaving the solidarity of his room, and even more at the thought of facing Sokka. He had already left behind his sister, what would Sokka say now that he had gotten his father hurt? But in the end, Aang's grumbling stomach prevailed.

"Yeah, dinner sounds good."

Toph nodded. "Okay. Let's go see if Sokka wants to come."

Aang's stomach turned at the thought, but he followed Toph down the hallway and into the makeshift sickroom. This time the door was closed.

Toph knocked and then promptly opened the door, exposing Aang to the scene inside. Hakoda had been patched up by now, with a large white bandage reaching from his chest to his spleen. His eyes were closed and he appeared to be deep in a feverish sleep.

Sokka was still sitting exactly the same as when Aang left him several hours ago.

"Hey, Sokka," Toph asked him, less timid, obviously trying to make everything appear normal. "Do you feel like coming into town and getting dinner with us?"

Sokka took a few seconds to answer, his gaze not moving. He let out a deep sigh. "Not right now. You guys go ahead with me."

Aang and Toph stood uncomfortably in the awkward silence that followed. Aang decided to break the silence with a question that had been bothering him all day.

"Is he… going to be okay?" he asked, scared for the answer.

He saw something strange go across Sokka's face. Anger? Pain? Whatever it was it was not hopeful.

"I don't know."

A sobering silence filled the room as all three were left unsure of what to say.

"He'd be fine if Katara were here right now."

Sokka's sudden words, spoken with bitter contempt, made the sick feeling in Aang's stomach return. He was right. If Katara had been here, Hakoda would be healed by now. She could also have just done what Aang had and separated the ships sooner. It was Aang's fault Katara wasn't here, and Aang's fault that Hakoda was lying on the floor now. It was all Aang's fault.

Aang hadn't even noticed the annoyed look on Toph's face. "Well she's not!" Toph said. "We're doing the best we can, Sokka! This is nobody's fault."

Sokka furrowed his eyebrows and his glare darkened as he turned his face towards her and said "You can't honestly think that." His gaze turned to Aang as he finished.

"I should go," Aang said, trying hard not to show the immense amount of pain he felt because of what Sokka had just said. He was right. Toph shouldn't be trying to protect him. He tried to keep his composure as he slipped out the door, but proceeded to sprint down the hall to his room once he turned the corner. He could hear Toph calling after him, but he just ignored her.

After shutting the heavy iron door and isolating himself, Aang began to pace frantically around the room, wringing his hands, trying to contain his rage. He was so sick of being responsible for hurting other people. None of this should ever have happened. This was _his _job, as the Avatar. He didn't want anyone else's help.

He always knew that he would have to do this, it was his destiny. But now he knew he needed to do it _alone._

Aang knew what he needed to do next. Grabbing his glider from where it was propped up against the wall, he headed out the door and went up above deck. The sky that had been so sunny several hours before had turned dark and melancholy as rainclouds covered it. The wind blew his light cotton airbender robes softly as he opened his glider and looked out into the brewing storm. It would be a long flight to the Fire Nation Palace, but Aang knew this was something he needed to do. He opened his glider and disappeared in the night sky.

Struggling to control his glider in the violent winds, Aang could feel himself being pulled down towards the water. He flew for over an hour before he suddenly noticed an obstacle. A long line of Fire Nation ships emitting a dark black smoke formed a barrier across the water.

"A blockade." Aang said to himself. He took a large breath in, closed his glider, and dived into the water, swimming under the ships, using his bending to move at an incredible speed. He crossed the two-boat wide blockade, and came back up to surface when he was a safe distance away, gasping for breath as he clung to his glider to stay buoyant.

It wasn't clear what Aang should do next, as he couldn't take off on his glider while in the water. But then, as a he spotted a piece of driftwood floating by, he had an idea. He swam towards it and climbed on top. Then, he stood up and opened his glider to make a makeshift sail.

Aang sailed across the water with difficulty, trying to keep himself upright as the winds grew stronger, the waves bigger, and eventually rain began to fall. A huge wave came right towards him, but Aang didn't balk, instead tackling the wave with ferocity. It almost seemed that he had made it, but an aftercurrent took him off guard and knocked him into the water, sending his glider flying. Aang brought himself up quickly and clung to the driftwood. The waves tossed him violently, and eventually a particularly big one submerged him once more. He came up again, slower this time, and found the driftwood again. He was cold, wet and felt utterly defeated. There was no way he was going to get out of this water.

"I'm not going to make it," he said miserably to himself, putting his head down on the driftwood. "I failed."

A large bolt of lightning struck, and suddenly Avatar Roku, or his spirit, was standing a few inches above the water, right in front of him.

"Roku?" Aang asked tiredly.

"You haven't failed, Aang."

"But it's all my fault." Aang confessed. "So many people have gotten hurt, and it's my fault. And I'm losing this war. I'm letting the whole world down."

"If anyone is to blame for the state of the world, it is me." Avatar Roku told him. "I should have seen this war coming, and prevented it. You inherited my problems, and my mistakes. But I believe you are destined to redeem me, and save the world."

"I don't know…" Aang said uncertainly. He had always been told that it was his job to save the world, but how could he? He couldn't even keep his own friends safe.

"You already saved the world," a feminine voice came from above, and a soft light fell onto Aang's face. He looked up in disbelief. The spirit of Yue was standing in the moonlight. "And you'll save the world again." She continued. "But you can't give up."

Yue's light shined down on Aang like a beacon of hope. He looked up at her for a moment, thinking about her words. Then, he turned around and rose a huge wave, full of determination. He bent the water around him as he stood up on the driftwood and kept moving, leaving Yue behind.

Eventually, Aang hit an island. Collapsing onto the shore, he fell asleep out of pure exhaustion.

He wasn't sure how long he slept, but he woke up to a loud chittering in his ears. He opened his eyes groggily to find Momo perched on his chest, licking his face. The lemur jumped off as Aang sat up, sore from his less than comfortable sleep, and looked up at the sunrise above him. Looking around, he saw that he was on the beach of a volcanic island. Soon he saw Toph and Sokka running up to him.

"Thank goodness you're okay," Sokka said, relieved. He came up to Aang and wrapped him in a hug.

"I'm sorry, Aang." He murmured quietly into his ear.

Toph joined their hug, followed by Momo and then eventually Appa, who leaned his head in to be included.

"I have so much to do," Aang said, pulling away from the hug.

"We have to stick together," Sokka said, giving Aang an optimistic look. "We'll get through this."

"You didn't think you could get out of training just by coming to the Fire Nation, did you?" Toph joked, lightening the mood. Aang smiled softly. Then he remembered something.

"What about the invasion?" he asked.

"We'll join up with my Dad and the invasion force on the day of the eclipse. It's better that we keep moving anyway." Sokka answered.

Aang remembered Hakoda just then. "Your Dad is… going to be okay then?"

Sokka nodded. "He'll be fine. He might not be able to fight, but he'll there to lead the troops."

Aang felt a huge weight being taken off his shoulders.

"Hey… what's…" Toph said, reaching into the water. She pulled out Aang's glider, now broken and muddied. "Oh… it's your glider."

"That's okay." Aang said sadly, but with acceptance. "If someone saw it, it would give away our position. It's better for now that we stay hidden."

He airbent his way up on top of a hill that was dripping lava. He looked at the ground sadly for a minute, then spun his glider around above his head several times, and brought the broken staff down and planted it in the magma.

Aang left to join his friends before he could see it go up in flames. It was time to move forward.


	4. Zuko I

**3 – Zuko I**

_If I had just said yes, I wouldn't be sitting here right now…_

It was a thought that Zuko had frequently as he sat in the stone cell that had been holding him for the last 5 weeks. Abandoned by his sister, disowned by his father, and locked away along with his uncle, there was nowhere left to turn for him. All a result of one decision that he had made. It seemed like an eternity ago.

"_We can put all of this behind us, Zuko. Pledge your loyalty back to the Fire Nation, and we can go home together." _

Still fiercely defiant, it hadn't taken long for Zuko to decide his response to his sister's offer.

"_Why would I want to come home?" He had asked angrily. "What do I have to come home for? An abusive Father that banishes his son? A manipulative sister that sees me as a pawn in her own sick game?"_

_Azula had given him a look of disgust. There was really no way to be sure whether she was concerned or just toying with him. "Do you have any other options? Ba Sing Se and the Earth Kingdom are mine now, and our traitor Uncle is locked away for good."_

_Zuko felt his stomach drop. Uncle had gotten away…_

"_Uncle…" he strayed off as the impact hit him. Then anger took over. He clenched his fists, feeling his face grow hot._

"_You have no right to do this to him! He…"_

Azula interrupted him abruptly, holding out her arm and pushing squarely on Zuko's chest to put distance between herself and her enraged brother, but making no movement herself. Zuko stopped, but he still felt the inferno of rage inside of him burning strong.

"_Actually, I do." Azula said calmly, taking back her hand and staring directly into Zuko's eyes. "He was responsible for the Avatar's escape from the city. He's a traitor to the Fire Lord and our nation."_

Zuko unclenched his fists and let his anger be replaced with exasperation. It would be just like Uncle to go and do something that stupid.

"_I know you're no traitor, Zuko. It's time to stop playing your games and come home."_

There had been several minutes of silence following Azula's words of advice. Was she right? Zuko didn't belong in the Earth Kingdom, maybe it was time to go and take his rightful place in the Fire Nation again. But would his Father even take him back? This could be another one of Azula's lies…

But then, Zuko remembered. The reason he had gone back to Ba Sing Se in the first place after Iroh had told him to flee. There was no more indecision.

"_I don't care what you do to me," he said, determined. "I will _never _pledge my loyalty to a man who doesn't even care about me and a Nation that only wants to destroy innocent lives."_

Azula had stared at him for several moments_. "Have it your way, Zuzu." She said, throwing up her hand in defeat and turning to walk away from him. "You've always been pathetic," she said, not even looking back at him. Two Dai Li agents, who had been waiting close by during their conversation opened up a tunnel and let the Fire Princess through. The earth rumbled shut again when they were all through, leaving Zuko alone in the catacombs._

Now, as he sat in his prison cell in the Fire Nation capital, Zuko couldn't help but second guess his decision. He hadn't seen his uncle since he arrived, although he knew that he was in the same prison. Maybe Zuko was wrong to decline his sister's offer… he had even refused his Father outright in his own throne room, marking himself as a traitor forever. Zuko was surprised that his Father had spared his life, with the looks of absolute disgust he had given him that day. It would have been just like him to end his life right then and there.

But Zuko had been strong then; decisive, sure of himself. His Uncle's words sat dominantly at the forefront of his mind. But with so much time alone to think, insecurities began to develop. Who knows what would have happened if he had just sworn loyalty to his father. Would he be wearing a royal ornament in his topknot and sitting by the pond in the courtyard, feeding turtle ducks? Would he be happier?

There was no way to know now. He had thrown away his only opportunity.

Zuko laid down on his sleeping mat, staring out the small, high window, watching the day pass by and getting lost in his thoughts. In the late afternoon a meal was brought to him, shoved under the bars of his cell door, but Zuko didn't even look at it. He wasn't eating much anymore. He didn't really need it, because of his lack of activity, and he didn't really feel hungry. Not to mention that the food given to him was bland and unappetizing. Half the time the bowl of rice spilled onto the floor as it was shoved under the door.

The blue sky eventually began to get dark, and soon Zuko could see the crescent moon going by his window, stars shining brilliantly around it. Lately, he only slept when he felt tired, so Zuko continued to let his time slip by, unmoving.

The moon was nearing its peak when Zuko's thoughts were interrupted by firm footsteps coming towards his cell door. He looked out past the bars and recognized Azula in the light of the small blue flame she was holding in her hand.

"What do you want?" he asked, defiant but obviously exhausted. He could not think of what she could be doing here. He had already given her his decision.

"Goodness, 5 weeks in a prison cell has certainly made you grumpy. Can't a sister simply come visit her imprisoned brother?"

Zuko gave her a sour look.

"I just came to talk to you, Zuko. Don't look so suspicious."

"Fine," he said, resigned. "What is it?"

"I know you're not guilty." Her voice was serious. "You've just got Uncle's silly ideas too deeply rooted in your head. It keeps me up at night knowing you're in here. " She said sweetly.

Zuko didn't buy it for a minute. "Sure it does."

"I've come to offer you a second chance, Zuko," she said more seriously. "I may know that you're not a traitor, but Father still needs convincing."

Zuko didn't jump at the offer, but he didn't immediately refuse it, either.

"Of course, if you had just pledged loyalty the first time, this wouldn't be an issue. You could have come back as a hero."

"Just tell me what you want, Azula." Zuko was getting tired of this really quickly.

"The original terms for your banishment are still valid. If you have any knowledge of the Avatar's whereabouts, Father said he would reconsider your imprisonment."

Zuko couldn't help but chuckle at bit. "You still don't have the Avatar then?"

"We have that water peasant girlfriend of his, and at the moment we're holding her captive as bait. I'm simply just looking for a way to… speed things along."

Of course Azula didn't show any sign of insecurity on her face, but Zuko could feel it. So she hadn't been able to find the Avatar either. Father probably wasn't very happy with her. It was so hilariously ironic Zuko could barely contain himself from going into a fit of laughter. He was surprised, however, that Azula had not only been able to capture one of the Avatar's friends, but that she had held on to her for so long without any recovery efforts from the Avatar himself. Zuko had tried the same thing several months ago with the exact same girl, and it had worked so effectively that he had barely her tied to the tree before her friends came to her rescue. Zuko didn't know the Avatar personally, but he understood that he was fiercely protective of his little entourage. What had changed?

"I wouldn't worry about it. If you have one of his friends, he's bound to show up eventually." Zuko said casually.

"That's what I suspected, but the Avatar seems to be taking longer than anticipated. Is that all you have?" Azula showed just the slightest bit of anxiety, waiting for Zuko to answer. She was hoping for a miracle, it seemed.

Zuko snorted. "You think I'm any better at tracking the Avatar than you are?"

Azula paused at his words for a few moments, and then resumed her usual composure.

"I see. Thank you for your time, brother."

Zuko didn't return her goodbye, and instead pondered the reason that she had come. It was obvious that the Avatar was a loose end that she planned on tying up, and judging by the situation, she was getting pretty desperate.

Zuko had been telling the truth. He hadn't even seen the Avatar or any of his friends since Lake Laogai, where he set his bison free. In a way he was glad he didn't have anything that could have been of use to Azula. His morals would not be put to the test today. But in truth, Zuko wasn't sure whether or not he would have shared if he did know. If what she said was true, telling her would mean he could finally leave this cell. What did he care about the Avatar anyway? He was on the losing side. It was only a matter of time for him.

But then there were the people of Ba Sing Se, and the little family he had managed to build there. Everyone had seemed so hopeful that the Avatar would finally be able to put a stop to this war. What would it mean for them to have snuffed out their last hope prematurely? And, as much as Zuko hated to admit it, _his_ last hope?

Zuko wished he could talk to his uncle. He wasn't sure what side he wanted to be on anymore. He needed guidance… anything.

But Iroh was locked up, the same as him. It was unsure whether they would ever see each other again.

He decided that he might as well enjoy his time in moral purgatory. At least his emotions would be contained here, where they would not hurt anyone else if he made the wrong decision.

Zuko fell asleep to the comforting thought that he had all the time in the world to decide.


	5. Azula I

**4 – Azula I**

Azula stalked down the stone hallways of the prison, the blue flame that she held in her hand flickering, threatening to burn itself out. Occasionally she walked past a terrified guard, standing stiff in his position and sweating under his armour. She had threatened every one that she had gone past on her way in, holding them up against the wall and intimidating them with a blue fire dagger in her fist. Nobody would know that she had come here to see Zuko, she would make sure of that. It would seem suspicious, her coming to visit her traitor brother. But above all, nobody would know that she had sunk so low as to try and get inspiration from the failure himself.

Zuko may have never succeeded, but he had gotten closer than she ever had to capturing the airbender. He knew him, that was obvious, and she was glad to have it verified that having the waterbender in her custody was indeed useful. But then, it was also completely annoying that even the expert himself had no clue where in the world that blue-arrowed freak could be. He could be lying, of course, holding information from her out of spite, but she very much doubted it. Zuko and his Uncle had come to Ba Sing Se independently; it was very possible that they had not seen the avatar or his friends for months. She hadn't really expected an answer, but anything would be useful at this point.

She cursed under her breath. Now what was she going to do? She couldn't keep the waterbender captive forever. The pressure from her father increased every day, just as his faith in her declined. When she had returned, she had been showered with praise, by her father, her people, everyone. She had done what 100 years of warfare couldn't do. She had taken Ba Sing Se. Some of the greatest military minds in the Fire Nation hadn't been able to accomplish in a century what she did over the course of several days. It was something to be proud of.

But the victory seemed almost… empty. She had won no battles. There had been no combat. She had taken charge of the Dai Li, but Long Feng was weak. There was no satisfaction in outsmarting him. Overall, she had just shown up and the city had handed itself over willingly. It was horrendously underwhelming. And worst of all, even after closing off every exit and scouring the entire city, there had been no sign of the Avatar.

She had won the war, technically, but her greatest threat still walked free.

The Avatar was a coward. Always running, never stopping to fight. She would catch him eventually, and then she would be the means to his brutal end. But for now, that reward was far out of her reach. The day of the eclipse was a long way away, and at this point it was looking unlikely that she'd enjoy a visit from the Avatar before then

Azula pulled up the hood of her cloak as she stopped out into the night. She headed for the palace. Some sleep was much needed. She had an important meeting tomorrow.

…

The next morning, Azula walked the outdoor walkways of the palace. She was dressed in full armour, her hair up neatly in its topknot. The world seemed to shine in the sunlight, the ponds shimmering, the dew in the grass sparkling and the light touching the trees delicately, bringing the colours out brilliantly. Azula walked with purpose. It didn't take long for her to reach her destination.

"Welcome, princess." One of the attendants said as she walked past him. She paid him no mind. She waited much more anxiously for someone else's greeting.

"Welcome, Princess Azula," the drawling, powerful voice said from behind its great wall of fire. "You've arrived just on time."

Azula walked past the generals seated at the large table in the middle of the room. She walked up the stairs to the throne to join her father. There was already a seat for her on his right side.

"I believe that's everyone, sir." General Shinu informed the Fire Lord.

"Then we can begin." Firelord Ozai said permissively, gesturing to for the first speaker to start the meeting.

General Bujing stood up.

"As we are all aware," he began, hands behind his back and a stern look on his face as he looked from general to general, "A solar eclipse will soon be upon us. As we also know, because of the information provided by the Princess Azula, we will likely be meeting opposing forces in battle on that day. Even though the Earth Kingdom has fallen, there are still many who stand in the way of the Fire Nation's total victory. On that day, for approximately ten minutes, all firebending will be impossible, rendering us helpless during that time. I am speaking to suggest that instead of becoming sitting Turtle Ducks in this conflict, we take a more offensive approach before the enemy has the advantage. Sitting and waiting on the enemy to come looking for conflict just does not seem to be working."

"And how do you propose we go about this plan?" The Firelord inquired, leaning forward in his throne.

"We need to be actively searching out the only one who can bring together the opposing forces into a considerable power; the Avatar."

The idea hit the room like a pound of bricks. It had been on everyone's mind, but nobody had been willing to say it until now.

"General Bujing," Ozai started, leaning forward, "We have been waiting for the Avatar to come to us. Are you suggesting that this plan is inadequate?"

"With all due respect, sir, the initial plan was meant to be completed in a matter of days. It has been 5 weeks, and we have made no progress on the matter. I believe an offensive strategy is the only way."

The Firelord nodded thoughtfully, then turned to his daughter, whose hands were clenched into fists and stomach was blazing in bright blue flame, trying to contain her rage towards the insolent general.

"I agree with what you say, general, but the Princess is responsible for all matters related to the Avatar. Azula, what is your opinion on this?"

Azula stood up, trying to maintain her regular intimidating stance, feet spread apart, arms crossed behind her back, ignoring the anger and anxiety that was very much alive inside of her. She gave a quick, piercing glance to her audience before she began.

"I've come to know the Avatar well," she began, "both through my brother and his antics and through my own encounters. And I know that he is very protective of his friends. We have the waterbender, and she is hidden well. It is more than likely that the opposing force on the day of the eclipse will be led by the Avatar himself. If he does not show up before then, he will surely be in our grasp at the end of that day. I have no doubt that we will be able to capture the Avatar without even having to leave the capital."

The room was quiet as the generals exchanged unsure glances. Azula's speech had certainly sounded confident, but given that she had been giving similar ones for weeks, this did not exactly reassure them. The Princess herself, regardless of her composed exterior, was a mess of anxiety inside. Her plan had to work. If they did not have the Avatar at the end of the day of the eclipse, everyone in the room and everyone in the nation would lose confidence in her methods forever. She had to be smart about this.

Suddenly, the silence broke as the Firelord chose to address his daughter. "I am putting my trust in you, Azula, because you have never failed me before." He said. "I trust that you will not fail me now."

Azula nodded confidently. "I will not disappoint you, Father."

The Firelord nodded, and turned to address the generals. "I have confidence in my daughter's methods. This is the strategy we will employ. This meeting is adjourned."

The generals stood up, bowed to the Firelord, and began to leave the room, some of them talking quietly to each other, most likely about the decision that had just been made. It was not long until they had all filed out of the room and Azula was left alone with her father.

"I sincerely hope you know what you are doing, Azula." The Firelord said as he got up from his throne and went to exit the room, leaving his daughter alone in stunned silence.

Azula wished that she could have the faith in herself to believe that she knew what she was doing. But in all honesty, she had no clue whether he plan would work or not. She had been confident in this plan in the beginning, and now she had to take it completion or risk permanently wounding her reputation, but the Avatar was a master of aversion. Even if he came to the capital on the day of the eclipse, trying to capture him would be like trying to tie down a greased hog-monkey.

She would need to take General Bujing's advice, she decided. She had to take matters into her own hands. No more of this waiting around.

Azula was going on the offensive.

…

Azula took down the hood of her cloak as she approached the man standing in the moonlit courtyard. He wore thin black armour and a black headband, and had a long katana strapped to his back. A rogue. Azula hated dealing with rogues. But, with the need to keep this plan hidden from her father and the council of generals, it was a necessary evil.

"You received my message. Good." Azula said, using her most intimidating tone, the one that succeeded in getting the Dai Li to switch to her side. She separated her feet, clasped her hands neatly behind her back, raised her chin and put a steely look inside her eyes to complete the image.

The intimidation was unsuccessful. The man, or boy, rather, he looked quite young, did not seem phased by it at all as he gave her a cheeky smile. "Absolutely. Sounds like the Princess needs some help."

Azula was taken aback by his nonchalance, but kept her composure. "Indeed. I have a proposition for you, one that you would be wise to consider very worth your while."

The boy smiled even wider. "Oh, I know. Working with royalty is never a waste of time." He rubbed his fingers together greedily as he approached her. "What kind of job are we talking about here?"

Azula was grateful to finally be getting down to business. "There is someone that has been standing in the way of my goals for several weeks. All I require of you is that you take a group to impede them and bring them back to me to be dealt with."

The rogue shrugged. "Sounds simple enough. Kidnappings aren't exactly something we do infrequently. Now, who's been pissing off the Fire Princess so badly that she wants to deal with him personally?"

Azula stood her ground. "The Avatar."

"The Avatar?" the rogue said, finally giving an expression other than that infuriating grin of his. "You guys still haven't tracked him down yet?" at seeing the Princess's annoyed expression at this remark, he went on. "Okay, okay. We can do that. Sounds like a lot of trouble though, I've heard that the Avatar's a pretty powerful guy. You'll definitely have to make it a convincing job."

"The sum of your payment will be equivalent to the quality and efficiency of your work. Do the job properly, and you need not worry about money." Azula was getting irritated. She needed him to do the job, she didn't care about how much it would cost. She wished he would just shut up about it and focus on the task.

"Alright, as long as we're clear on that." The boy shrugged, satisfied. "So, do we have any idea of where to look?"

"It is assumed that he is hiding somewhere close to the Fire Nation, if not in it."

The rogue scoffed. "That's really specific. Nothing else?"

Azula twitched in annoyance. "Nothing."

"Ok. We should still be able to find him, even with this serious lack of information. We are experts after all." The boy said. "So, what exactly should I be looking for?"

"A skinny twelve-year-old with an arrow on his forehead. He should be travelling with a lanky water tribe boy with a ponytail and a blind earthbender."

The rogue chuckled as he noted the details down in a small notepad that he had pulled out of his pant pocket. "Not exactly the most conspicuous bunch. Tell me, how exactly have you not been able to find this kid yet?"

The Princess was angry now. Smoke came out of her nostrils as she brought two blue fire daggers to life in her palms.

"Whoa! Whoa." The rogue said, raising his hands up defensively and stepping backwards. "Forget I asked. Twelve-year-old with an arrow. Got it."

Azula dropped her daggers, but she was still steaming. "Good. I expect you won't waste any time in completing this task."

"We'll do our best," the rogue said. "We might need some… motivation, though." He outstretched one hand in front of the Princess.

Azula rolled her eyes and dug a small bag out of her cloak. She dropped it into the rogue's hand, which promptly weighed the feel of the bag to see how much there was. It opened the drawstring and took a piece out, examining the shiny gold. His eyes then turned back to the volcano of a girl standing in front of him. "This should do. We'll start working on it tonight."

"Lovely." The Princess said, relieved to finally be able to leave. She turned to head back to the Palace, calling behind her, "Do not disappoint me, or there will be consequences." She threateningly bent some blue flame into her hand.

As long as these imbeciles don't completely fail, Azula thought, this should work out perfectly. For the first time in weeks, Azula felt very in control. The Avatar would be hers in no time.

Now she could concentrate on figuring out what to do with that little carrot head she had rotting in the secret cell alongside the water peasant. Her responsibilities never ended, it seemed.


End file.
